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Tuesday, 12 April 2016

William and Kate Meet Vulnerable Children in Delhi

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge began day three of the royal tour visiting an organisation working to support vulnerable young people. The engagement was kept under wraps for security reasons with information and photos released when it was over.

The couple visited the Salaam Baalak Trust - an Indian non-profit and non-governmental organisation which provides a sensitive and caring environment to street children and working children in Delhi. The organisation described aspires to "nurture their dreams and make them realize that their fate can be crafted by their own heart, their own hands and a firm resolve. Millions of dreams need our help to stay aloft".

More on the charity's history:

'From three staff and 25 children on a balcony of the Ground Reserve Police at the New Delhi railway station more than 25 years ago, we have now grown to over 150 staff, providing support services for over 5,000 children a year in Delhi & the NCR region through our 25 centres. Over the years, Salaam Baalak Trust has successfully worked with over 50000 children; significant numbers have been restored to their families.

We have 2 children who have completed their engineering and one boy who is currently pursuing engineering, 3 who have completed their Masters in Arts programme, 7 who have won scholarships for advanced programmes to American Universities, 30 in an Australian affiliated University, and many more who are pursuing their academic career in schools and colleges across India.'

The Salaam Baalak Trust has 18 centres in the capital city providing full time and short stay facilities to children in need of care and protection. Key services at contact points include providing nutrition, clothing and toilet facilities; education: non-formal, formal and open school, comprehensive medical support, counselling and referral to drug addiction programmes, and creating awareness on children's rights.

The charity's vision is a vitally important one: "To create a nurturing environment that can foster normal physical and mental growth of street and neglected children. To allow them to return to mainstream society and eventually contribute to its development."

The Duchess joined in an arts and craft session.

Kate appeared to draw a picture of Anmer Hall.

Royal reporter Emily Andrews was with the Cambridges this morning and described them as "very engaged with kids, keen to focus on mental health issues and find out what kind of help they get at the drop in centre". Kensington Palace shared a photo from the shelter.

During the visit, Prince William asked the charity's director "What can we do to help". More from The Telegraph:

'The charity's director Sanjoy Roy told the couple about the charity's work. "The boys come here for four hours of lessons and some food every day.

"When they're not here, they're at the railway station," he said. The Duke asked: "Is that dangerous?" Mr Roy replied: "Yes so they try to stick together. The Duke asked: "What can we do to help?" Mr Roy replied: "Spread the word. People think of them as street kids, beggars, thieves but they are just children. "They deserve an education, future and a life. They have a right to a childhood."

Kate wore the Russell and Bromley Xpresso Crossover Flat shoes (with thanks to the ladies at What Would Kate Do). The £175 shoes are designed in the softest blush toned suede, these feature a delicately pointed toe and are finished with a chic crossover strap.

The hush-hush about the first engagements makes total sense. Vulnarable children, and at a railway station. Makes much sense, security and privacy wise, to have that embargo :)

What a great engagement! And I love that they connected it with mental health as well! A very nice choice and worthy cause! I loved seeing her sitting on the floor like that! And what a godsend a place like that must be to so many children. I can't even imagine the realities those children have to live through!

As for the less important part. She looks beautiful! Very perfectly balanced look. Taditional and modest while still looking "westernly bohemian". And this hairstyle is so pretty! I really love how wavy and bohemian it is!! Nicely done! (Don't like the shoes, but am glad to see her wear a pair of somewhat flat shoes).

What a great start to the day, and am really looking forward to the rest :)

I quite agree, Rebecca. Same feeling about her sitting on the floor. And I'm glad she wore those earrings again.It's really good that THR have made the children feel valued. What a great job the charity is doing.

OMG! Jackpot! My Absolute Fav So Far! I'm Obsessed! I want That Dress:) It was so funny because I can't sleep & was just reading everyone of the responses & commenting myself on the Garden Party Post.... then I clicked on "Home" before I closed my laptop & Bam I see this First Post of Today & That Amazing Dress!!! :) Love her in red, Love long & flowy, Love the Blue Accents...... Love Love Love!:)....... Did I say that I love it? Now to go back & read what I know will be another Amazing Post by Charlotte:) BTW, How are you hanging in there Charlotte? Mind Blowing Job you are doing! My One Stop Shop! I'm not looking anywhere else, especially after the kind heads up about some of the sour Pedi/I mean Petty lol coverage elsewhere:( Happy Tour Day #3 Everybody:)

I did wonder if William and Kate would visit an organisation such as this. There are many organisations in India that support vulnerable children. Im glad the royals are highlighting their work.

On the fashion side, I am loving the choices this tour. The subtle nods to the host cointry are beautiful. This dress is down to earth and flats were an excellent choice. I love that Kate sat cross-legged on the floor with these kids - the long dress allowed dignity whiles sitting on the floor but was dressed up enough to live up to the excitement children have about the visit from a princess.

i do like this dress however whats with the long sleves? i also think the shoes are cute but swede in hot weather i also noted that through out this tour kate and will have both had on swede shoes? it was good what they did today,they are just so wonderful with chrildren it makes you want to smile. really fast charlotte

This is the Most Excited I've been Yet on this Already Amazing Tour!:)1) How scary that they needed to take such precautions to protect Them:( Yikes!2) How beautiful she looks adorned with flowers3) I love seeing the 2 of them bending down to talk to those 2 boys.... W&K are Such a Team!:) It almost even looked like William was taking Kate's lead..... this is Really becoming her "Wheelhouse"4) My heart swelled seeing her sitting on the ground with the children.5) This is Diana's Daughter in law..... in whom She would be very pleased:)

Oh yes yes yes, I am obsessed with this dress too, Becca USA. I so want one!! I love these type of engagements, it is true Heart of Kate!! And the earrings are so pretty. I am usually a very modest earring bearer, but I could even see myself wearing something like this. Just fabulous. Catherine and William must love their trip. And so do I.Royal Watcher

This just breaks my heart. I wish I had billions of dollars to help the world's children, including our own here in America. William and Kate had to have been moved by this plight. They have been given so much, and these kids are at the railways. Thank God there are organizations like this to help. But it isn't enough. Our darling Kate looked beautiful as always. She really played it down, which was the proper path to take. God bless those children.

Tedi - there are many wonderful organizations supporting children in India. I love the individual sponsor programs - I have supported a girl for years who graduated from school this year and goes on now to become a nurse. I am also supporting a little boy with an amazing story of poverty. It is humbling that a small monthly amount of money on my end can make a huge difference in a child's life in another country. It is wonderful to see Kate and William highlight the plight of women and children in poverty with both visits today. They tackle the tough issues in such a beautiful,caring and very diplomatic way.

Charlotte you are doing such s beautiful job. Your blog is so lovely to read at all times, but it is so exciting to click on and read your uplifting and informative work. Your time is very much appreciated. This tour is so exciting. It feels like such a whirlwind! Visit after visit after dress after dress. I am sure there are things to be done differently, but I can't think of any! I think the choice of engagements and the selection of clothing have been so respectful of both British and Indian heritage. Kate, William and their team are to be congratulated. I think they both look so comfortable and happy - which is huge considering their babies are at home. Kate's wardrobe started on a high and has just gone up and up with every appearance. (Australia)

I wonder if KP's refusal to release the dress information is so the press articles focus more on the charity and not what she wore. From Twitter, it appears a large number of the press have traveled ahead to the national park this morning so the press pool is probably much small for the New Dehli morning engagements.

Hello Lily! Sorry, i didnt explained it. I was thinking this because Accessorize has been critized for childlabour and unhuman working conditions. This came to my mind immediately when i saw her wearing this earrings. I'm thinking this also when i see her wearing clothes from zara etc. Everyone seems to like her for things like that because the clothes are so cheap that "we" or "everyone" can afford them. But in my opinion (really, just my opinion), people who have the money to buy clothes which are made under fair trade standards should not buy clothes from zara, h&m etc.

Thank you Charlotte for the backgrounding on this NGO which does such wonderful work with some of the most vulnerable of children. As everyone has said it's a great engagement & the photos with the children show how genuinely interested & caring the Cambridges are. I also like the practical down to earth quality of William's question about what could they do to help.

Love the dress. Also very practical for sitting on the ground with the kids & doing activities with them.

Anon at 8:47 we've travelled a lot in India & long sleeves are the norm. As long as your clothes are in a natural fabric like cotton they work well in the heat & protect your skin from the sun which can be fierce.

Wonderful work this charity is doing. It is so hard to think about the lives of those children and so good some of them are being able to move out of their background. Wonderful that William and Kate are bringing attention to the work and they relate so well, sitting easily on the ground with the children.

Kate's dress is perfect for the occasion, we're back to reminding me of my hippie-dippie days when you could buy dresses like that in Notting Hill or San Francisco's Haight (then!) or at market day stalls. I actually like Kate better in that informal look than her Days of the Raj pristine white yesterday, although it was nice for the technology event. She looks very relaxed when dressed this way - love the flat shoes and the hair too -rare and nice to see Kate in flats. All in all, a great event.

I hope that everybody is checking out the size guide on this dress! If you follow the link to Glamour, Size S is modelled on a TALL lady! I'm more like the model on the BOEM site and it looks extremely oversized on her! Karin

I thought that Kate`s two looks yesterday were kind of questionable (not so much the first one, just mainly the second one) for me. I love everything about her outfit today-hair, earrings, DRESS, oh, except for those shoes. I do not like those shoes but at least her dress mostly covered them. :)Looking forward to the lunch with the prime minister! Hope Kate wows us like she usually does!

Ok, now that I've dried my tears after reading about the street children I can try to type.

Bless them, bless them! I've always said K&W are human spotlights and everywhere they go is illuminated for the rest of us due to their popularity and press coverage.

I'm thankful, yet heartbroken, for now knowing about this situation. Thank you for the link on where to donate!

Seeing children who are at risk and hurting, in any country, must be emotionally trying - especially during a long trip where she's tired and missing her children.

After seeing this kind of thing in her work and realizing how much good she can do because of her position it some ten times more RIDICULOUS to think a newspaper wasted time discussing un-polished toes! It takes a mentally and emotionally strong person to do her job for sure!

On to the lighter stuff - Kate's face lights up when she's around children - her beauty and warmth shows more when she's around them!

The dress and shoes are appropriate in every way for this - and, I see she is wearing a bindi on her forehead!

Thanks for putting so much emphasis on the really important stuff yet remaining so thorough on the fun stuff! :)

I echo everything you said, Florida Girl. This is the best engagement yet. Hush hush yet so important. I am so glad William and Kate are highlighting poverty and vulnerability and not shying away from it.

What a great engagement, so good to highlight what is being done for some of the worlds most vunerable. Like the dress choice of both of TRH. The dress is so appropriate - good colour and cost appropriate and again earrings affordable for most. The Replikates that will come out certainly beat the old tea towel.

Flats! I think she looks great! A little too bohemian for my personal tastes, but I get what she's doing. Great choice. Love that picture of her sitting cross-legged on the floor drawing with the kids. You can really tell she is in her element working with children.

I adore this look! And I love that she wore something so affordable for this particular event! She is perfection. I dreamed I was her host at an event last night and we totally bonded! Ha. She also showed me some tips on toy storage (we were pregnant both times at the same time!) One can dream, right?? :)

I do too. Seeing her with her shoes off yesterday it looked like her ankles and feet were slightly swollen. High heat + high heels. It must have been a welcome break to have a totally comfy outfit on today and still look totally beautiful.

Kate can really pull off a maxi skirt, even with flats! And what an imminently appropriate choice for visiting with vulnerable children--probably the least expensive ensemble she's worn for an engagement to date.

A great engagement for a great cause. To hear these boys wait at a railway station is so heartbreaking. I love to see William and Kate down on the floor with the children coloring and playing games. I hope today's visit brings much needed attention to Salaam Baalak Trust and that all children have dreams and aspirations no matter their life circumstances. Bless those sweet boys.

Another fabulous look for Kate! I love the dress and bohemian look. Very appropriate for the engagement and looks great too! Kate and her PA have done a super job putting together the wardrobe for the tour. Only day 3 and I have loved all of Kate's choices!

Did anyone notice that at Gandhi's home when she took off her shoes she appeared to be wearing stockings? In that heat? Royal edicts & protocols prevail. I hope for her sake that they were silk stockings and gartered. But that would have made even more noise in the DM than petty-cures and 3-second gust of wind.

Kate looks amazing in this dress - it's so gorgeous. I love everything about this look. It is youthful, colorful, and just plain fabulous. She hit it out of the park on this one. thanks for your wonderful coverage Charlotte!

I woke up at 5:00 am and there you are Charlotte!! Thank you, thank you!! I love these two--they didn't come in like gangbusters, upsetting things but they are showcasing needs. And how nice that W asked "what can we do?" They are really trying.

My assumption is of course that they ask that at every event. ( what else would one ask?) but this time it was overheard. There is so very much need there- there is so very very much they could do- and frankly why I think that the shortness of this trip- is verging on insulting to an entire cub- continent with so much need. Let's do hope that something can be done to improve the lives of the very large poverty base they have in that country. This isn't even putting a scratch on the surface.

Lovely close-up photo of the Duchess .....and so pleased to see her and the Duke at this type of engagement. She looks her best at these events, very relaxed and fully engaged with the children. I almost feel guilty commenting on her clothing here, especially when there are many more important issues to be concerned with. But here goes anyway....Love the dress/hair/earrings, not a fan of the shoes though, but it's great to see her wearing flats. ;)

I always read and never comment, but just had to comment today.This morning's dress and shoes were just perfect!!!Kate looked so comfortable and beautiful and graceful all at once.I love her choice of shoes - flat! for an appointment with children, and to be able to sit on the floor, cross-legged. Sensible, yet so beautiful. And the flowers in her hair and neckless - Oh, so pretty!I love the belt that she added and didn't mind it shows how thin she is, that's just how she is and it suits her.Well done! Fantastic choice. I'm loving all her choices so far (except the white dress from yesterday). The duchess really looks gorgeous in anything.

Warm regards to Charlotte, Thanks for all your hard work! It is such a pleasure to read your blog.

The information provided from this engagement is so sad and moving. I can't even imagine what those children go through and what it must be like to feel that school is a privilege that isn't available to all. It's really tragic in a lot of ways and I'm glad that they are highlighting this important work and asking what they can do to help.

Now for the fashion, I'm blown away, the DoC actually wore flats with a dress on an official engagement. Wow, this tour has been full of surprises and special moments. I really like this dress and the look. Very fitting for what she was doing.

I also think the belt is the same blue as the blue on her sleeves, I don't believe it is black. Various different lights show up as the same blue in outdoor/indoor photos.

I do like the belt addition as it breaks it up quite a bit and see seems to really like this element in the majority of her dresses.

I posted the other day for the first time anonymously and will try this way ( read the instructions below! lol!) Thank goodness for the sartorial choices today, that can hopefully drown out the insanity over that almost there- yet so terribly wrong- white dress from yesterday! ( as I hear them prattering stilll on BBC this afternoon, about her latest Marilyn moment- and saying Cameron " paid her" to get the country's attention off his taxes!)Today was brilliant- and she played every card right, thankfully.But- being as I didn't get to put in my two cents on that horrendous white dress from yesterday, I just really really must.. It was so close to being spot on and lovely- almost there- but those bloody chest flaps were just too obnoxious- and the sad thing was is that they didn't have to be. Being a designer myself, that was so so easy to fix working with the designer of the dress- Have a special garment made for her- and then try it on , and PLACE the flaps on it so that they fit her body type. She is not exactly " busty" so a consideration should have been made as to the placement and the size! They could have easily been tilted slightly and reduced in size slightly and have then only been noticeable as a perfect balance to the dress. ( It involves looking at it in a mirror and just getting it right. ( it's called a "fitting" change- and any designer can do that.) Would, could, shouldda looked perfect- but someone on staff /or Catherine did not or does not care "enough" to review that sort of detail to get it right. And then -another sartorial disaster. Also, despite the fact the hem may likley have been weighted , the sweep could also have been reduced enough in the width , to minimise the chances of a precarious episode.Someone isn't thinking on staff- but it was not the choice per se- ( although wearing white in India- take it from me can be tricky tricky business no matter how many chauffeured cars, etc you are in or out of)- but it was the details that ruined that choice. thanks again for all your wonderful work on this blog, Charlotte!

As so many of you commented, this is a very moving engagement. It's wonderful that was included in Will and Kate's tour. They have brought awareness to this organization and these children.

What a smart choice on Kate's part. When I commented the other day on hoping to see her in some type of traditional attire, this was close enough. The simple, printed dress and flats are perfect! Kate is so in her element and these photos made me realize "she's just a girl" and turned into a princess.

I could be wrong, but I believe the "belt" Kate is wearing with this dress is navy blue (and not black). Navy blue would match the blue at the bottom of the dress and the cuffs of the sleeves. It definitely looks navy to me.

I guess I'm the minority but I don't like the shoes. The color is nice, but I don't like the straps. I completely get why she wore flats, comfort and convenience, I just don't like them. She's tall, so she has quite large feet, And they're wide, these shoes just accentuate that more. Yes flats make your feet look larger weather they're large or small, but these make her feet look really big to me. Sort of reminds me when she wore the flat boots with that navy dress to a tech engagement. A lot of comments were commenting that her feet look quite large at that engagement. I get it you work with what you got, and it's not like she should never wear flats, these just look bad to me. My two cents lol.

Yes, Kate has looked stunning in her more formal looks, but the two bohemian dresses she has worn are my favorites of the tour. I feel like her personality is so much more restrained (sometimes non-existent) when she's in the structured garments. The less formal, more active engagements are where she lights up. She looks so, so pretty here. She wore the clothes instead of the clothes wearing her and it shows!

What a wonderful choice for this morning's engagement. Kate looked relaxed, cool, and totally charmed by those boys. How sad. How wonderful, though, that there is a place they can go for part of the day for food and education. And how wonderful that William asked how they could help. I know it must have broken the D&D's hearts when they heard the stories and then met those children. Makes me shiver just thinking about it.

The dress, the dress, the dress. LOVE IT! Perfect choice to make the kids feel at ease with her and to allow her to get down on the floor with them to draw pictures or watch will play carom. Will also looked great! So relaxed.

My comment seems to have gotten lost somewhere, so I`ll post it again. :) Love the dress, earrings, hair, she looked great today. Perfect choice for the engagement-loved it.:) My only qualms the shoes-I really don`t like them. But with the lovely flowing skirt, they aren`t that noticeable. Hope she wears something nice like this at the park-it looked great on her!

Love, love, love this, both the engagement and the outfit! Good for them for doing something extra and keeping it under wraps. They seem so sincere and committed to the causes they support and not just in the UK.

Catherine looks lovely! I think she has a secret boho side and seized an opportunity to embrace it. This is not an expensive designer dress which I don't think she actually wants to wear all the time. It is really pretty and is appropriate in a country where many ladies cover up. So nice to see her in flat shoes for a change. Perfect for joining in with games and art activities and getting down to children's level.

This is such an amazing charity. As a mom, the plight of these children just breaks my heart. I hope the royal visit increases public awareness about their mission as well as the resources necessary to continue and grow. Thanks Charlotte for the donate button.

As for the dress, Kate's inner bohemian is shining through. Lovely dess and perfect for the occasion. As with most of the dresses on this tour, it moves beautifully with her tall thin figure. I appreciate that she is wearing flats, although not a fan of these particular shoes. Her hair has been underwhelming me on this tour but I agree with the posters who pointed out that the loose under styling complements the bohemian feel of the clothing.

Safety away from home, every country can use an organization like that as long as there is some supervision which is preventive of abuse there.

That dress in red is beautiful on her figure. Her care free spirit is at its most comfortable which is brought out with these types of dresses. Out of India: featuring Kate Middleton Wales. It is a hit.

Did you notice the grate she had to walk across? Even Kate could not have navigated that in heels. I rather like the flats. As for belts, Kate is so long waisted that a belt helps to even out her proportions.

My favourite engagement. You see this kind of poverty in my country (Venezuela, in Latin America) all the time, in lots of places, and it overwhelms me the kindness of them both with those kids. I've been involved helping with kids and teens coming from similar poor situations, and they are always so thankful for your help. It's truly moving being with those kids at their communities, where we help them academically, so they can earn an scholarship and have a better future. They change, overcome their situation, and help others to do the same.

That's why I love this engagement and feel very identified with it. I've been in that situation before, just like Kate, enjoying with those children, relaxed and giving them my complete attention, they deserve it. This offers Will and Kate the opportunity to see first hand the real needs of a major population. These kids reciprocate the love a 1000%.

My heart breaks for these children. I hope that Will and Kate's visit will bring more awareness to this issue that plagues the world. It's clear that Will and Kate care deeply and genuinely want to make a difference with their influence. Kate looked perfect, beautiful, confident and relaxed. I adore the dress. The hairstyle and makeup was pretty and understated. The images of her sitting on the floor with the children are so touching, they will become iconic. I'm so proud of Kate-our future Queen!!

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